President signs highway bill for boaters

Acknowledging that recreational boating is a significant contributor to the nation’s economy as well as a growth engine for local communities, President Obama signed bipartisan legislation earlier this week that recognizes that the federal government needs to do more to help small harbors, address longstanding dredging issues and improve boating and navigation infrastructure.

“Maintenance dredging for small harbors and shallow-draft channels has been chronically underfunded,” BoatUS government affairs senior program coordinator David Kennedy said in a statement. “In addition, funding for infrastructure such as jetties and some inland navigation locks has been significantly curtailed.”